Gasoline dispensing register



Feb. 10, 1942. G. s. GREEN 2,272,460

GASOLINE DISPENSING REGISTER Filed sept. 4, 1937 2 sheets-sheet 1 I IIQIZI l u "'m" Feb' 10; 1942- G. s. GR'EEN 2,272,460 I GASOLIQNE DI SPENS ING REGISTER Filed Sept. 4, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L me .7 o2 9% "l :N037 Y '7| 7 99 /lo8 LAX INVEN-roR Geurge 6'. Gwen.

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 10, -1942 Kmvlrlto STATES- PATENT OFFICE 2,272,460 GAsoLlNE DisPENsING REGISTER George S. Green, Cape Elizabeth, Maine Application September 4, 1937, Serial No. 162,466

7 Claims.

This invention relates to. gasoline dispensing apparatus, and more particularly to a. combination key and counter for use at gasoline Stations to unlock the pump and to register the amount of gasoline dispensed by eachottendant.

One object of this invention is to provide a combined key and counter mechanism of the above nature, which is adopted when inserted in the lock to octuate e. switch for controllingT an electric motor or manual or other means for operating a gasoline pump.

Another object is to provide s. combined key and counter o the shove nature in which the counter is adopted to loe detechablv connected with the interior registering niechonism of the pump and is driven in synchronism therewith.

A further object is to provide e lcombined key and counter of the alcove nature in which the counter is adopted not only to register the quantity of gasoline dispensed, but also the number of times the pump is operated.

A still further object includes theA provision of means bv which the key will olso ectuate e tape-recording mechanism whereby e. perrosrient printed record rosy he obtained, the solesmen handling eeen individuel transaction.

A still further object is to provide en tipperetus of the shove neture which will lloe simpie in construction, inexpensive to inenue/cture, easy to manipulate, compact, ornnmentni in eppeorence, and very eicient end durolole in use.

with these sind other objects in view, there loos heen illustrated on the accompanying drawings one forni in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in Anreetice.

the .firswingsz Fig. i is e. iront view, pertisllv in section, ci e. gel-schrie dispensing pump hevingthe present invention associated therewith.

.. 2% is o, iregmentery enlereedsectionel lthe pump unlocking, operating, and recoming mechsnisni.

3 is en end view, 'oertlv in section, of e. portion of the type setting end tope printing mechanism, teken clone the trollen line --il of FU, 2, looking in the .direction or the errows.

e is e. sectional view through the-motor switch locking mechanism, teiten on the line 5 is e.' loottom view oi the same, taken on the line oi Fig. t.

Fie. o is en enlarged longitudinal sectional view teken through the improved combined 'ser and counter.

Fig'. 6A is s. fragmentary bottom view of the same, looking in the direction of the arrow 6A in Fig. 6.

Figs. 7 and 8 are partial sectional views simi- 'lar to Fig. 6, teken on the line 'I--l of Fig. 6,

and showing two different operating positions of the combined key and counter.

Fig. 9is a, transverse sectional view'talten on the line t-t of Fig. 6.

Fig. `10 is e. similer transverse sectional view taken on the line ill-i@ ci Fic'. 6.

Fig. 1i is a right-hand end view of Fie. d.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the slidelole cup member for operating the mechenism for counting the number of operations o the pump. Referring to the drawings in which like rei erence characters denote corresponding ports throughout the several views, the invention is shown in combination with e, gasoline pump hoi/ing means ior indicating end recording the price and quantity oi gasoline delivered et eeclfi operation of the pump. As most clesrly shown in rig. i, the dispensing epperetus includes o.. pedestal-like casing 2@ which encloses c. pump 2l driven hy en electric rector 2i through e. lielt 23. i descendingT pipe 35i communicating with n source of gasoline supply (not shown) leeds to the'pump i211, end e pipe leeds upwardly from seid pump to e. meter which is provided with. suitable mechanism to record end register the price nmount oi' the gssoline diepe" md. pipe leerling upwardly from the meter i inunicetes through on overhead sieht gouge with exilole dispensing hose 245i to which connected. the usuel manually controlled nozzle 'The motor 22 is energized from e noir oi elecu trlcel mein line conductors Si end il?. under the control oi suite-ble switch enclosed in s loon 33, from whichL s. conductor tt is connected with the line conductor iii, end e, conductor 35 is connected with the n'lotor t2, seid motor cleo seing connected or conductor with the other line conductor The switch is provided with en erternellv projecting upwardly springpressed actuating lever pivot/ed et iii, which switch, when engaged by n rigid handle oi the nozzle is eden/ted to loe retsined in onen position by the weight o said. nozzle end nssocietecl ports, es shown in full lines in l. it will loe understood that the removal of the handle t8 wil permit the switch lever 31 tonicve onto-4 moticeiiz into the dotted position losr the ection of its spring 'it tov close the switch end energize the motor 22.. l

A vertical shaft si (see Fig. 2) extends upwardly from the meter 25, and serves to drive the operating mechanism (not shown) in the visual price and gallons indicator 4U above it. A bevel gear 4I A1s secured on the lower end of the shaft 38 and meshes with a bevel gear 42 secured to the end of a horizontal hollow shaft 43, herein shown Jounaled in an upstanding bracket 43a mounted on the casing oi' the meter 25. The shaft 45 is herein shown as extending toward the front of the casing and is disposed at'right-angles to the shaft 39.

In order to obtain a permanent printed record the salesman handling each dispensing transaction, a tape printing mechanism isprovided in which a strip of paper tape 44 is adapted to be fed between a pressing roll 45 and a plurality of printing wheels 45 located behind said tape 44. The pressing roll 45 is 'journaled in one arm 45 of a bell-crank lever 46a (see Fig. 3). which is adapted to be actuated to press the roller 45 into engagement with the tape 44 to cause said tape to engage the type of the plurality or printing wheels 49. The bellecrank lever 45a has a horizontal arm 41 connected through a vertical link 45 to the switch lever 31. It will be understood that if desired, a presser block (not shown) actuated by a trip cam may be substituted for the roller 45 within the scope of this invention. It will be understood that the strip 44 may be readily removed when the key and counter are inserted to release the lever 31 and separate the roll 45 from the printing discs 45. A record of the particular key employed will be made on the strip 44 to identify the person manipulating the mechanism for this purpose. y

Associated with the tape recording mechanism are the plurality of printing wheels 49, each having a line of type representing the numerals 1-0 on its periphery and adapted to be set by the particular key used by the individual illling station attendant, whereby the particular number assigned to said attendant will be printed on the tape 44 together with the printing of a sale record of the number of gallons dispensed and the price to be charged therefor by suitable mechanism (not shown). Each of the printing wheels 45 is rigidly connected to a gear 5l thereof, which gears are adapted to mesh with vertical toothed racks 5I formed on the upper ends of a plurality oi vertical bars 52. Each bar 52 is rigidly connected at its lower end to a horizontally disposed arm of one of a series o! bellcrank levers 5I pivoted on a common, horizontal rod 54 mounted on any suitable support within the casing 25. The other arm 55 of each bellcrank lever 53 extends downwardly from the pivot 54 and is provided with a short horizontal laterally extending end portion 55 located at right-angles to the respective arm 55, and ln alinement with the ends of a plurality of slidable rods 51 located within a spring-pressed key barrel 5| to be hereinafter described.

A pin and tumbler lock cylinder 55 is rigidly secured to the pump casing by means or a nut 5l screwed upon said cylinder and engaging the end of an exterior sleeve 55 also secured to said casing 20 (see Fis. 4). The spring-pressed key receiving lock barrel 5l mentioned above is adapted to slide longitudinally within the stationary cylinder 5I, its rearward movement being limited by an annular shoulder 52 on the front end of said barrel 5|, and its forward move yment being limited by means of a-second nut 5I threaded upon the rear end thereof. A trans a longitudinally extending slot 66 formed in the exterior of the barrel 6I to prevent relative rotative movement between said cylinder and said barrel. l

The slidable lock barrel 6i is extended rearwardly beyond the lock cylinder 58 and has a notch 51 formed in its upper surface into which a detent 55 on the lower end of a vertically slidable slotted arm 55, guided by screws 10, is adapted to drop whenever the barrel 6i is pushed rearwardly against a return spring Sla after first being unlocked from the cylinder 5B by inserting a key blade 1i. The spring Bla reacts between the inner end of the barrel BI and a stationary frame part Bib to return the barrel 5I to its normally' protruding position shown. The slotted arm 69 loosely embraces the horizontal switch lever 31 at its upper end, and assuming the nozzle to be off the arm 14, when the detent 68 drops into the notch 61, the lever 51 will swing to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 and actuate the motor control switch disposed in the box 33. The switch lever 31 ex.- tends through the front ofthe casing 20, and is provided with a manipulating exterior arm 14. A coiled tension spring 15 connected at one end to an angle bracket 15 is also connected to the switch lever 31 to urge it clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 2.

The combined key and counter for unlocking the pin tumbler lock 58 and registering the amount of gasoline dispensed includes a pin tumbler actuating key blade 1i disposed on the upper surface. oi a reduced tubular member 11 which extends from a counter casing 15. The key blade 1l and the tubular member 11 are readily insertable as a unit into the lock barrel 5i, and during the insertion thereof, the key blade 1I will engage the pin tumbler-s 18, and the tubular member 11 will telescope over the end of the horizontal hollow shaft 43, which extends partly through the barrel 6I. When the key blade 1i and tube 11 have been pushed into the barrel El as fai' as they will go, the pin tumblers will be pushed laterally into alinement,

Vperrnitting the barrel Si to be pushed inwardly until the notch 51 comes beneath the detent 5l. At this time the switch lever 31 will be caused by its spring 15 to swing to the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 2, and. close the switch circuit through the pump motor 22.

In order to set the printing wheels 48 to print the symbol oi the particular attendant who is operating the pump, the tubular member 11 is provided on its under surface with a plurality of stepped lugs 5D (three in this instance, see Figs. 5, 6, and 6a). The lugs 50 are located in horizontal alinement with the slidable rods 51, the ends of which are in engagement with the end portions 55 of the bell-cranks 53. It will be understood rtha'twthe tubular member 11 ot each key will vhave a special' `arrangement oi stepped lugs 55 to correspond with the individual number assigned tothe particular attendant.

The rack bars 52, the printing wheels 45, the bell-crank levers 45a and 53, and the slidable rods 51 will be Aautomatically returned to zero position by means oi' a plurality of springs 12, one for each bell-crank (Fig. 2), whenever the key blade 1l is removed from the lock'key barrel 5l.

F01 the purpose oi forming a yieldable clutch connection between the pumping mechanism and disc |02.

the key counter, the horizontal hollow shaft 43 is provided with a tapered counterbcre at its outer end 8| (see Figs. 6to 8), so asto adjustably fit the conical end 82 of an elongated counter shaft 89 located concentrically Within the tubular section lil. The 4interior counter shaft entends from the counter casing i8 almost through the tubular member ll, and is held in centralized position by an intermediate sealing washer 94 slidably mounted thereon, the seal'- ing washer 8d being normally held against a screw collar iiE by means oi a coiled spring 86.

The end of the shaft 93 within the counter casing l@ is herein shown as being polygonal in crosssection (Figs. (i, l and 8) to permit it to have a slidable driving connection with a counter driving disc tl which is adapted to frlctionally engage within the first counter wheel 88 oi the gallons counter. Provision is also made of four additional successive counter wheels B9, 98, iii and 92 of the counter, which are drivingly connected together in the usual manner by transfer pinions 99. Rotation of the counter shaft 83 by the engagement of the hollow horizontal shaft @il therewith, through its connection with the 'counter wheels 88-92 inclusive, will cause -the quantity of gasoline dispensed by the pump during the `time the key blade 'il is inserted in the barrel Si 'to be accurately registered on the counter wheels 88-92 of the counter i8.

In order to register the number or' times each individual attendant inserts his key into the lock barrel 6| to operate thepump, an additional set of counter wheels 94 and 95 are provided (two in this instance), which are drivingly connected together by a transfer pinion 96. The first counter wheel 94 of this latter counter set is driven by a ratchet disc 9'! having springpressed driving pawls H2 pivoted thereon (Fig. 10) for engaging teeth I|3 formed within the counter wheel 94, said disc 91 having a short stud shaft 98 permanently secured thereto and extending -toward, the end of the main shaft 83. The counterwheelsi94 and 95 `and the transfer pinion 96 are associated respectively with a boss 99 and a pin-|00 extending forwardly from a spacing member which is screwed into the counter casing 18, and the counter wheels 94 and the pinion 96 are secured in place by the usual A plate |03 is screwed into the end of the casing 18 to close the same.

In order to cause the counter wheel 94 to be driven one tenth of a revolution, corresponding to one digit upon its periphery, each time the key blade 1| is inserted into the barrel 8|, a special actuating means is provided. This consists o! a cylindrical cup-shaped member |04 (see Figs. 6, "I, 8 and 12) slidably fitting over the end of the stud shaft 98 with its closed end |05 held in abutment with the polygonal end of the shaft 88 through a bore |06 inthe spacing member. I0|, as by a coiled spring |01 reacting between said closed end and the end oi' the shaft 88. The cup-shaped member |04 is restrained from rotation relative to the spacing member |0I by longitudinal key lug |08, which is disposed in c. key-way |09 provided in the spacing member ibi, whereby the cup-shaped member |04 will be permitted'to slide within the bore |08 of the member |0| without rotating.

The cup-shaped memberits open end with an inclined/slot ||0 for receiving a transverse pin extending from the periphery o! the stud shaft 98, the arrangement being such that, when the cup-shaped member m is provided at' Cil |04 is slid toward the counter wheels 94 and 95, the slot ||0 and the pin will coact to give the shaft 98 and the counter wheel 94 a onetenth rotation. The cup-shaped member |04 is given the sliding movement thus described whenever the shaft- @il is engaged by the shaft 43, which occurs each time the key blade il is inserted into the key barrel 8i.

Operation In operation, when an attendant of thek dispensing apparatus desires to deliver a certain quantity of gasoline to a customer, he will first insert his counter key blade 'il and tube 'il into the lock barrel ti, and push the combination key and counter inwardly as far as it will go to force the key barrel iii inwardly. This operation will. immediately be registered by the outer counter wheel @il due to the rotation of the stud shaft 98 a onetenth revolution by the coaction oi the inclined slot il@ in the cup-shaped member iiifl with the pin lli on said shaft. At the same time, the notch tl of the lock barrel 6| will come into alinement with the detent 68 and unlatch the switch lever El, and permit it under the urge of the spring 'i5 to automatically close the motor controlling switch in the box 33 after the handle 38 and nozzle 30 are manually removed from the exterior manipulating arm 14 of said switch lever 3l. The pump motor 22 will then be started and the horizontal counterdriving shaft 43 will rotate. By reason of the ,clutch connectionV between the shaft 43 and the conical end 82 of the counter shaft 83, the latter will also rotate and drive the disc 81, which in turn will frictionally drive the counter wheel 8,8 and register the amount ofV gasoline being dispensed by the pump on the counter wheels 88-92 inclusive.

It will thus be seen that a printed record of the gasoline dispensed and the key number Will be made upon the tape 44 when the handle of the dispensing control 38 is again hung upon the outer extension of the lever31 after the dispensing operation, whereby the roll 45 isiactuated to press the strip 44 against the discs 49.v

While there v*has been disclosed in this speci' flcation one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form is shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the inventionl is not to be limited to the specic disclosure, but may be modied and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, whatv is claimed as new, and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In a combined key and counter for use'with a dispensing apparatus having a rotating part and a lock which is provided with a slidable barrel for receiving said key; a key adapted to enter said lock.barrel and slide inwardly therewith, a casing connected with said key and having a quantity counter therein, a drive member for said quantity counter including a slidable clutch part engageable with said rotating part when said key is inserted in said lock and slid inwardly therein, said casing having a second counter therein, and pin and cam slot means connected with said clutch part to operate said second counter one unit each time said-key is insertled in said lock and slid inwardly with said barre .i

2. In a combined key and counter for use with a dispensing apparatus having a rotating part and a lock which is provided with a slidable barrel for receiving said key; a key adapted to enter said lock barrel and slide inwardly therewith, a casing connected with said key and having a quantity counter therein, a drive member i'or said quantity counter including a slidable clutch part engageable with said rotating part when said key is inserted in said lock and slid inwardly therein, said casing having a second counter therein, and pin and cam slot means connected with said clutch part to operate said second counter one unit each time said key is inserted in said lock and slid inwardly therein, said means comprising a slidable, non-rotatm able cup-shaped member engaging said slidable clutch part.

3. In a combined key and counter for use with a dispensing apparatus having a rotating part and a lock which is provided with a slidable barrel for receiving said key; a key adapted to enter said lock barrel and to slide inwardly therewith, a casingv connected witll said key and forming a handle therefor, said casing having a counter for indicating the quantity dispensed and a second counter mounted therein for indieating the number of dispensing transactions, clutch means shiftable to connect thek rotating part of the dispensing apparatus with said quantity counter to actuate it in synchronism therewith, and means responsive to the shifting of said clutch means to actuate said second counter one unit each time said key is slid inwardly to indicate on said second counter the number oi' dispensing transactions.

4. In a combined key and counter for use with a dispensing apparatus having a rotating part and a lock which is provided with a slidable barrel for receiving said key; a key adapted to enter said lock barrel and to slide inwardly therewith, a casing having a counter to register the quantity dispensed and a second transaction counter mounted therein, slidable clutch means in said casing to connect said rotating part with said quantity counter to actuate it when said key is slid inwardly, said second counter being in alinement with said quantity counter, a slidable member moved outwardly by the sliding of said clutch means and having a cam slot, and a. pin operating in said camslot to actuate said second counter one unit at each dispensing transaction.

5. In a combined key and counter for use with a dispensing apparatus having a rotating part and a lock which is provided with a slidable barrel for receiving said key; a key adapted to enter said lock barrel and to slide inwardly therewith, said key having a casing extending rearwardly therefrom for use as a handle, said casing having a tubular extension located alongside said key, a first counter in said casing for indicating the quantity dispensed, a clutch shaft slidahly and rotatably mounted in said tubular extension and detachably connecting said :first counter with said rotating part to indicate the quantity dispensed, a second counter in said casing, and means actuated by the sliding movement oi said clutch shaft `to actuate said second counter to register thereon the number of dispensing transactions.

6. In a combined key and counter' for registering the operations of a dispensing apparatus having a rotating part and a lock for said dispensing apparatus, said lock being provided with a slidable barrel for receiving said key; a key for insertion in said lock barrel and slidable inwardly therewith, said key having a casing extending rearwardly thereirom for use as a handie, a rst counter `in said casing for registering the quantity dispensed, a slidable clutch mounted in said casing for detachably connecting said first counter with said rotating part, a second counter in said casing for registering the number o! dispensing transactions, and cam and means operated by the sliding of said clutch for actuating said second counter one unit each time said dispensing apparatus is unlocked and operated.

7. In a register, a casing, a shaft in said casing having rotary and sliding movements, two counters in said casing, means for connecting said shaft to the first of said counters to operate said irst counter to count the rotations of said shaft, and means responsive to the sliding movements of said shaft to operate the second counter to count the sliding movements of said shaft.

GEORGE S. GREEN. 

